Content Area(s): Earth and Space Science Topic: Earth/Moon System Short description: A scientist at the University of California suggests that billions of years ago the Earth had two moons that gradually came together to form our moon. This relatively slow collision resulted in the moon features we know today.
Claim: Our moon may have been formed when two smaller moons collided billions of years ago.
Keywords: formation of Earth’s moon Difficulty of Concept: Hard
MS-ESS Earth’s Place in the Universe
MS-ESS1-3. Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.
MS-ETS1 Engineering Design
MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy
RST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations descriptions.
RST.6-8.8 Distinguish among facts and reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.
WHST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
WHST.6-8.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational text to support analysis, reflection and research.
SL.8.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions(one-on-one, in groups, teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Topic of Game Introduction Video: Logic: Cause and Effect Description/Application of Game Introduction Video:
This brief movie is used to introduce the concept of cause and effect before playing the scenario about how the Earth’s moon formed in the Reason Racer game. Cause and effect is generally thought to be a relationship in which one event is responsible for another happening. It is a form of logic used to explain the warrant or reasoning used to support a claim. It requires students to determine if evidence provided supports a claim well. Before playing the game, students could discuss the difference between cause and effect and correlation (the relationship in which the change in two variables is interrelated, but may not be cause-and-effect) by brainstorming examples of each in small groups and then sharing their ideas with the class. Link to Game Introduction Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7F8mO-f8Ao
Full Text of Article:
Even though no one was around to see it, it is possible that the Earth used to have two moons. This would have been more than four billion years ago, when Earth was still very new. Planetary scientists from universities in the US and Switzerland wrote an article in Nature magazine explaining why they think there were once two moons up in the sky.
As the moon revolves around the Earth, it keeps one side facing us at all times. This side of the moon is mostly flat. But the far side of the moon, which we can't see from Earth, is mostly mountains and high, rugged hills. Also, samples of moon rocks show that the near side and the far side of the moon are made of very different elements.
One suggestion for the difference is that Earth could have had two moons, one big and one small. The big moon would have slowly pulled the smaller moon closer and closer, until they smashed together. Dr. Erik Asphaug from the University of California, Santa Cruz, says that these two moons wouldn't have broken apart like rocks. Because the speed would have been so low, the smaller moon would have spread across the bigger one like clay, making the far side of the moon higher and mountainous.
According to the scientists, say that this idea also explains why the moon rocks are so different between the near and far sides. It's because they may have started out as part of two separate moons!
Paterson, Katherine. The Same Stuff as Stars . 2002. 256p. Clarion, $15 (0-618-24744-0); HarperTrophy, paper, $5.99 (0-06-055712-5). Gr. 5–8. After being abandoned by her mother to live with her great-grandmother, 11-year-old Angel takes comfort from the astronomy she learns from her uncle
Title: The Earth's Two Moons
Content Area(s): Earth and Space ScienceTopic: Earth/Moon System
Short description: A scientist at the University of California suggests that billions of years ago the Earth had two moons that gradually came together to form our moon. This relatively slow collision resulted in the moon features we know today.
Claim: Our moon may have been formed when two smaller moons collided billions of years ago.
Keywords: formation of Earth’s moon
Difficulty of Concept: Hard
Reading Level (Pit Stop 8 Article):
Flesch Reading Ease: 74.7Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 7.6
Lexile: 1100
Next Generation Science Standards:
MS-ESS Earth’s Place in the UniverseMS-ESS1-3. Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.
MS-ETS1 Engineering Design
MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/LiteracyRST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations descriptions.
RST.6-8.8 Distinguish among facts and reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.
WHST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
WHST.6-8.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational text to support analysis, reflection and research.
SL.8.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions(one-on-one, in groups, teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Vocabulary Words: populous, hypothesis, subsonic speed
Topic of Game Introduction Video: Logic: Cause and Effect
Description/Application of Game Introduction Video:
This brief movie is used to introduce the concept of cause and effect before playing the scenario about how the Earth’s moon formed in the Reason Racer game. Cause and effect is generally thought to be a relationship in which one event is responsible for another happening. It is a form of logic used to explain the warrant or reasoning used to support a claim. It requires students to determine if evidence provided supports a claim well. Before playing the game, students could discuss the difference between cause and effect and correlation (the relationship in which the change in two variables is interrelated, but may not be cause-and-effect) by brainstorming examples of each in small groups and then sharing their ideas with the class.
Link to Game Introduction Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7F8mO-f8Ao
Full Text of Article:
Even though no one was around to see it, it is possible that the Earth used to have two moons. This would have been more than four billion years ago, when Earth was still very new. Planetary scientists from universities in the US and Switzerland wrote an article in Nature magazine explaining why they think there were once two moons up in the sky.As the moon revolves around the Earth, it keeps one side facing us at all times. This side of the moon is mostly flat. But the far side of the moon, which we can't see from Earth, is mostly mountains and high, rugged hills. Also, samples of moon rocks show that the near side and the far side of the moon are made of very different elements.
One suggestion for the difference is that Earth could have had two moons, one big and one small. The big moon would have slowly pulled the smaller moon closer and closer, until they smashed together. Dr. Erik Asphaug from the University of California, Santa Cruz, says that these two moons wouldn't have broken apart like rocks. Because the speed would have been so low, the smaller moon would have spread across the bigger one like clay, making the far side of the moon higher and mountainous.
According to the scientists, say that this idea also explains why the moon rocks are so different between the near and far sides. It's because they may have started out as part of two separate moons!
References/Sources:
Additional Content:
Author: Kathy Carlsen